{"id":283,"date":"2020-11-25T15:27:13","date_gmt":"2020-11-25T15:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/preprod.cookingenie.com\/content\/?p=283"},"modified":"2025-07-17T18:44:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T13:14:08","slug":"tracing-tacos-a-journey-through-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/tracing-tacos-a-journey-through-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Tracing Tacos \u2013 A Journey Through Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

When thinking about famous foods from around the world, some key dishes come to mind. We\u2019re willing to bet Mexican cuisine ranks high on many people\u2019s lists, with tacos at the top. But, have you ever stopped to wonder how the tasty taco came to be?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It turns out, t<\/span>he history of the taco is as colorful and varied as the taco fillings themselves.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tacos as we know them today were b<\/span>elieved to have started<\/span>\u00a0in the<\/span>\u00a01800s<\/span>\u00a0as the humble lunch of Mexican silver miners<\/span>. The word\u00a0<\/span>\u201ctaco\u201d translates to\u00a0<\/span>\u201cplug\u201d or \u201cwad\u201d \u2013 reflecti<\/span>ng<\/span>\u00a0the small sticks of dynamite used in the mines.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is evidence<\/span>, however, that\u00a0<\/span>the taco\u2019s origins began much earlier.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is believed that the Aztecs<\/span>\u00a0invented tortillas using masa cooked on hot stones. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma, used the tortillas like a spoon to scoop or hold food such as cochineal, beans, and chiles.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>he word \u201ctaco\u201d stems from the Nahuatl word \u201c<\/span>tlahco<\/span>,\u201d meaning \u201chalf\u201d or \u201cin the middle\u201d in reference to how it is formed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(Also Read<\/strong> – Made to Cook: The Cooking Hypothesis<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Early taco fillings were simple and reflected what was available<\/span>, such as\u00a0<\/span>fish<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>cooked organs<\/span>, small insects, ants, locusts, and snails.\u00a0<\/span>It wasn\u2019t until the 1500s, when Spanish soldiers arrived in Mexico with pigs from Cuba, that pork was introduced as a filling<\/span>\u00a0and served at large banquets (the first \u201ctaco parties\u201d as documented in 1520 by Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a Spanish soldier sailing with Hernan Cortes)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>From here, the taco\u00a0<\/span>spread across the \u201cNew World\u201d as\u00a0<\/span>a staple food<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether crediting the Aztecs or silver miners, the taco is a dish woven through the fabric of Mexican cuisine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Into America & Beyond<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Portable and easy to eat, tacos became a primary<\/span>\u00a0meal<\/span>\u00a0of the working class.<\/span>\u00a0In time, s<\/span>treet food vendors filled soft corn tortillas with a simple, spicy filling to offer workers on their breaks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Around<\/span>\u00a01905, this delicious and practical meal crossed the border into the United States when Mexican laborers moved north to work on the railroads.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until the 1920s that the traditional filling of organs was replaced by beef and chicken. In addition, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar\u00a0<\/span>cheese<\/a> became standard fillings in America<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u2013<\/span>\u00a0t<\/span>his<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fusion<\/span>\u00a0brought forth by the availability of American ingredients and a more subtle palate.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While some may prefer more traditional preparation, t<\/span>oday, tacos in America include a vibrant blend of traditional Mexican flavors\u00a0<\/span>combined<\/span>\u00a0with new ingredients and influences from around the\u00a0<\/span>globe \u2013 a fusion of flavors to satiate a wide variety of tastes.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Need further evidence of the taco\u2019s cult-like following?\u00a0<\/span>In 2019, Netflix released the first season of Taco Chronicles, a docuseries that explores the rich histories of\u00a0<\/span>popular taco styles. From barbacoa to carnitas,\u00a0<\/span>cochinita<\/span>\u00a0to birria, and many others, watch this mouth-watering series on your next taco night.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever fillings you like, tacos are arguably one of the most-loved<\/span>\u00a0foods in the world.\u00a0<\/span>Whether you prefer vegetarian sweet potato and black bean, or chicken, pork or beef, CookinGenie<\/a> offers\u00a0<\/span>fresh,\u00a0<\/span>authentic\u00a0<\/span>home-cooked <\/span>Mexican-styled tacos to make every night taco night.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>We cook from scratch with wholesome ingredients, right in your kitchen.\u00a0<\/span>Whether meal prepping or organizing a small dinner party,\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span> Genies can help create a taco bar like no other, connecting you back to hundreds of years of tradition and fusion of cultures through food.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sources<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n